’Ji Jingbei and Yang Xingyao think they can control me like this? They’re far too naive!’

Chen Cheng reined in his thoughts. His expression was calm, his heart untroubled.

In a world where the Martial Dao was supreme, Martial Arts Power was all that mattered. As long as his own Martial Arts Power was strong enough, the chiefs who ostracized him, and even the scheming Ji Jingbei and Yang Xingyao, were all just jumping clowns not worth his concern.

’My current strength is enough to handle any problems in the Qingshui Pier area. The ones I truly need to be wary of are the Zhou Family and the Wang Family.

Although Zhou Xu is only at Muscle Strengthening Realm Perfection, the Zhou Family Patriarch, Zhou Hongjun, is a Bone Forger Realm Martial Artist. He cannot be underestimated.

The Wang Family is one of the Four Great Clans of the Inner City. Their power is even greater, so I can’t let them notice me.

For Ji Jingbei to plot against me while disregarding Shen Qingshuang, the Chief of the South City Guard, he must have the backing of the Jiang Family.

For now, I can only take it one step at a time and see how things develop.’

Having made up his mind, Chen Cheng put away the Elixir Pills, got dressed, opened the door, and walked out of the side room.

Although the snow was later this year than last, the weather was much colder. A thick layer of white frost covered everything, from the roof tiles to the bluestone ground.

Xi’Er and Dong’Er, both bundled up in thick, cotton-padded jackets, were huddled by the kitchen door, warming themselves by the stove. When they saw Chen Cheng come out, they quickly trotted over to greet him.

"Master, are you finished with your cultivation?" Xi’Er asked sensibly.

"Mhm," Chen Cheng nodded slightly, reaching out to pinch her rosy little cheek.

"Then we’ll go tidy up the wooden tub," Xi’Er said obediently.

Dong’Er also nodded earnestly.

Chen Cheng smiled and said softly, "Go on, then."

The two little maids quickly grabbed some cotton cloths, a wooden ladle, and a bucket, and went into the side room. They busied themselves with scrubbing the large wooden tub Chen Cheng had used for his bath and emptying the dirty water.

These two little maids of the Chens’ were young, but very diligent!

Staying at home all day was quite boring, so bustling about with various chores was one of their pleasures.

Chen Cheng walked across the frost-covered bluestone ground and slowly approached the edge of the garden. He saw that the stems and leaves of the flowers, as well as the branches of the trees, were covered in icicles.

’I’m afraid this year will be another one of severe cold.’

Muttering to himself, Chen Cheng moved, executing the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill.

He executed the Dragon Eagle Spreading Wings, and all the major tendons in his body connected as one, letting out a crisp crack.

CRACK!

A single crack is worth a thousand taels of gold. After reaching Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm, the major tendons strengthen, and the sound produced when exerting force becomes increasingly loud.

"Dragon Eagle’s Probing Claw!"

...

As he performed the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill move by move, a chorus of cracks erupted from his major tendons.

Chen Cheng’s movements grew faster and faster as he carefully sensed the changes from advancing to Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm. He controlled the qi and blood, major tendons, and skin of his entire body, allowing him to exert his force more thoroughly.

PUFF!

With a single move, Claw Shattering Mountains and Rivers, a hard rock the size of a basin instantly turned to dust.

After advancing to Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm, his Power Dao had increased significantly. A full-power claw strike now probably contained two to three thousand jin of force.

Moreover, at Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm, with his major tendons strengthened, his control over power had reached a new level.

The Skin Grinding Realm relied purely on Power Dao, but the Muscle Strengthening Realm allowed one to unleash Mingjin Power, which was far more fierce and domineering.

Chen Cheng casually picked up a small pebble, channeled power into his hand, and fiercely threw it at an old locust tree more than ten meters away by the courtyard wall—a tree so thick it would take two people to wrap their arms around it.

SWOOSH!

Amid a sharp whistle, the pebble pierced straight through the old locust tree’s hard, rough trunk.

Chen Cheng’s figure shot forward, moving so fast he was like an afterimage. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the ten-plus meters to the old locust tree. Seeing the clean, smooth-cut hole the pebble had made in the trunk, as if drilled by a bit, he couldn’t help but smile.

’My current power hasn’t reached the level where Flowers and Leaves Can Hurt Enemies, but with this pebble-throwing technique, the power is so domineering and immense that I’m afraid even a Perfect Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm would be severely injured by a single hit.

A Small Success Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm can easily defeat three or more Perfect Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm. Now that I’m at Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm, I could probably defeat twenty or thirty of them with ease. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

When I was at Skin Grinding Realm Perfection, I had cultivated the Iron Armor Skill to Perfection, the Bear Skin Grinding Technique to Perfection, and the Wild Bull Skin Grinding Method to Perfection. I had almost reached the absolute limit of that realm, and my strength far surpassed other Perfect Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm.

Now that I’ve advanced to Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm, having also achieved Great Success in the Dragon Eagle Muscle Strengthening Technique and Small Success in the Iron Armor Skill, I should also be far stronger than other Great Success Martial Artists of the Muscle Strengthening Realm. I just don’t know by how much.

Since I’ve also cultivated Momentum, someone like Wang Xiongjie would definitely be no match for me.

As for Ji Jingbei, who is at Muscle Strengthening Realm Perfection... I suppose I’ll only know for sure after we fight.’

Just as he was pondering this, the old servant Shi Fangdong entered from the front courtyard corridor and said respectfully,

"Master, Master Li Sheng has come to report something."

"Mhm, I know." Chen Cheng nodded slightly. He returned to his room to change into his Chief Constable uniform, put on his long saber and Dragon Eagle Iron Claw, and then headed to the front courtyard.

Chen Cheng was on night duty. He had to go to the City Guard Department to clock in shortly, which would officially end his shift from the previous night.

Yang Xingyao had come to serve under Chen Cheng and had poached many of his constables, but Chen Cheng still had a few trusted men.

Mu Song, the brothers Li Sheng and Li Lin, and Ma Zehua had all chosen to remain under Chen Cheng. If anything happened, they would be the first to report it to him.

Li Sheng was the one Chen Cheng had arranged to be on duty last night.

Li Sheng was pacing anxiously in the courtyard. When he saw Chen Cheng emerge, he hurried forward, cupped his fists, and said, "Mr. Chen, something terrible has happened."

"Wasn’t Yang Xingyao on duty last night? What could have happened?" Chen Cheng said indifferently.

Li Sheng said, "Constable Yang took leave last night. It’s said his concubine is giving birth and his old mother fell gravely ill. He’s taking some time off, and the Chief Constable personally approved it."

"Oh?" Chen Cheng frowned slightly, thinking to himself, ’What’s coming has finally arrived.’

’So that bastard Yang Xingyao dug a pit for me and now he’s planning to sit back and watch the show?’

"What happened last night?"

Li Sheng said, "In the latter half of the night, a major case occurred in the Qingshui Pier area. Gentry Shu of Bailiu Lane, Gentry Li of Liuyun Lane, and Gentry Zhang of Red Stone Lane—all three gentry families were robbed."

"Gentry Shu and Gentry Li only lost some property because they had Hospital Martial Artists on guard."

"But Gentry Zhang of Red Stone Lane, his entire family, young and old, along with four Hospital Martial Artists, were all killed by the thieves."

Chen Cheng’s expression suddenly darkened. These three gentry had all given him a fair amount of "respect money" in the past.

Gentry Shu was none other than Shu Xiuming, the Shopkeeper of the Luo’s Shop branch in Lishui District. His family had about ten Hospital Martial Artists, so ordinary thieves wouldn’t dare to target his home.

Gentry Li’s house also had seven or eight Hospital Martial Artists, and their Hospital Chief Steward was even at Great Success in the Skin Grinding Realm.

Only the Hospital Martial Artists at Gentry Zhang’s house were weaker.

Seeing Chen Cheng fall silent in thought, Li Sheng continued, "Gentry Shu and Gentry Li are both acquainted with you, Mr. Chen, and they know me too. After they discovered what happened, they found me first and told me to report to you before taking any other action."

"As for Gentry Zhang’s family, they were only discovered this morning by a neighbor. The case has now been reported to the City Guard Department."

"Lord Ji is already aware of this and is furious. He’s ordered you to go to the City Guard Department immediately to report to him."

"Mr. Chen, I’m afraid there’s something fishy about this. You need to prepare yourself."

Lately, all sorts of unfavorable rumors about Chen Cheng had been circulating in the Lishui Sub-Department, so Li Sheng could naturally sense that something was amiss.

"It’s fine. I have my own plans," Chen Cheng said lightly. He led Li Sheng to the Lishui Sub-Department and ordered him to gather their constables and head to Gentry Zhang’s house.

He himself went to Ji Jingbei’s Government Office Hall on the third floor.

"Chief Chen, a massacre happened in your district last night. Where were you?"

Ji Jingbei’s expression was stern, his posture one of angry reprimand. His eyes were fixed coldly on Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng’s expression was composed. He said leisurely, "Last night, your subordinate was on night duty. Naturally, I was on duty."

"If you were on duty, then how do you explain the fact that I, your superior, learned of such a major case in your district before you did?" Ji Jingbei’s gaze became aggressive, his voice harsh. He was clearly very dissatisfied with Chen Cheng’s attitude.

Ji Jingbei was, of course, well aware of Chen Cheng’s whereabouts. He had summoned Chen Cheng this time for no other reason than to make him feel terrified and subservient, to make him obediently admit his mistake. Then, he could righteously reprimand Chen Cheng and display his might as the Chief Constable and a superior officer.

"When such a major case occurred in my district, I, your subordinate, was naturally the first to know and am currently pursuing the culprit." Unfazed, Chen Cheng looked directly at Ji Jingbei and retorted, "But I wonder, Lord Ji, on what grounds do you claim to have known about this case before I did?"

It was still some time before the morning shift’s clock-in, so it was impossible for Ji Jingbei, the Chief Constable, to be on duty at this hour.

The case happened in Chen Cheng’s district. Even if his subordinates were to report it, they should have reported it to him first.

Yet now, Ji Jingbei somehow knew first. If someone told Chen Cheng that Ji Jingbei had nothing to do with this case, he truly wouldn’t believe it.

Furthermore, for the case to occur right after Yang Xingyao took leave, of all times... it was far too much of a coincidence.